Saturday, April 17, 2010

Lately I have taken to keeping baskets of patchwork square on the go. That is, every so often I'll dig through the scraps and do a cutting session, usually just in one color family. This week I did a lot of pink-red-raspberry. When I had a bunch, I started sewing them in pairs, which I doubled until I had a big pile of strips made of eight squares. That's when I got really inspired.

Eight strips sewn together as a block look fabulous floating in a canvas setting. And four of those big blocks can be set in muslin strips to make a "floating island quilt" in a crib size. The colors are so rich and vibrant, they almost need to be set off with the cool white, like whipped cream on a raspberry tart.

19 comments:

Anna-Your scrap posts always make me sad that I don't know how to sew. I have so many wonderful and nostalgic articles of clothing I can't bear to part with and I'd like to turn into scrap quilts- but I don't even know where to begin with learning how to sew. Access to a machine? Yes. A clue as to how to do it? None. How sad :(

Delightful to spy fabrics that have traveled the miles between your home and mine--the roses on lavender that graces my older daughter's apron, and the wee little lasses in turquoise and red for her younger sister's smock.

It would be ovely to see a shot of the all your new pillows and your orchids as well!

If you don't mind, I want to encourage Dawn (I followed her link but didn't find a way to contact her directly). I couldn't sew either and in my late 20's I was longing to learn. I found a local beginner's class and made some perfectly hideous clothes (straight to the trash!). Then I decided quilting was for me.

Please don't give up! Find a beginning sewing class and jump in. You won't be alone!! There are several steps to creating a quilt, but overall it's really very easy (unless you choose to complicate it). I'm so glad you have held on to special pieces of clothing to create with. Go for it!!

Feel free to Pin my photos, but please link back to the page you found them on.

Photography

Photography is an important part of life at my house. Photos that appear here are taken by Giles, by the Composer, and by me. Giles is a real, paid photographer, and he uses a Sony Alpha. Most of the photography prior to September 2008 is his. Since then I have done most of the shooting and I use a Konica Minolta. Additionally, the Composer offers me nice shots on occasion, often from his little Canon point and shoot. I've given up trying to note who's done what. Thanks for your interest!